A unique, successful staff development program in three Louisville (Kentucky) middle schools provides opportunities for teachers of disadvantaged students to build pedagogical skills. The High5 Project promotes strategies for realizing high expectations, content, support, energy, and involvement. The paper examines change strategies and discusses…

The relationships and possible effects of various personal home and school variables on the acquisition of functional biological, chemical, and physical scientific knowledge by tenth grade Israeli students (n=544) was investigated. Biology was the only subject in which functional knowledge was significantly related to nonformal science activities.…

This study examined academic performance, indebtedness, delayed graduation, and predictors of licensing exam performance of 140 Asian-American and 2,269 white graduates of the Jefferson Medical College (Pennsylvania). Results found that the Medical College Admission Test reading score was the major predictor of later performance for Asian-American…

Reports development and results of the Kramer Project, a two-year study of the implementation of a problem-solving, activity-based mathematics program in the elementary grades. Describes the mathematical content covered, participating teachers, instructional materials employed, inservice teacher training provided, and academic achievement gains of…

Reports on the impact of an introductory biology course sequence that incorporated experience-based, group learning. Achievement results indicate that students were not disadvantaged by this new approach and, in fact, displayed a superior grasp of group-work, open lab utilization, and creative problem solutions. Attitudes regarding anxiety over…

Examines school district practices which affect student performance. Rather than central offices making decisions for individual schools, districts should provide a framework within which teachers and principals can participate in decision making. The article discusses central office role in leadership, curriculum, personnel, budget, faculty…

The design, implementation, and evaluation of a self-paced course in first-year college French are described, focusing on student choice in deciding which of four language skills (listening/speaking, writing, reading, or culture) they would concentrate on. Considered are course organization, use of assistants and student tutors, and course…

The development and administration of practical skills tests in science as part of the Second Science Study of the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement are described. Scoring and sampling for Hungary, Israel, Japan, Korea, Singapore, and the United States are reviewed. (SLD)

Examines factors associated with persistence to a second term for 796 first time, two-year college students. Demographic variables correlated with low persistence were taking nondegree courses only, enrolling part time, working full time, and being over age 40. The only academic factor related to low persistence was a first term grade point…

Investigates how the high demand for academic performance in the French school system corresponds to optimal student development. Finds the experience for students less stressful than expected. Clarifies results through analysis of students' opinions. Concludes that educational ideas and systems are heavily dependent on social context and,…

A tutorial program in English as a Second Language, in which the tutors were prospective teachers, is described and evaluated for general procedure, scheduling, teacher-student contact, use of instructional materials, oral practice, error correction strategy, and student attitudes and performance. (MSE)

Sex differences in variability in the national norms of the Differential Aptitude Tests, Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test/Scholastic Aptitude Test, Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scales, and California Achievement Tests were examined. Compared to females, males were consistently more variable in quantitative reasoning, spatial visualization,…

Describes the development of a successful, specialized, collaborative training program created by the San Francisco Unified School District and San Francisco State University to produce more effective educational leaders for urban schools, thus improving student achievement and enhancing educational environments. (SM)

Opinions of 503 support services professionals in Iowa were surveyed regarding reforms in service delivery designed to integrate special and regular education programs for students with low achievement. The majority of psychologists, social workers, and special education consultants supported providing services for students without formal…

The types of resilient behaviors that lead to school competence among African-American adolescents are those that build social identity and friends and social support networks. Specific recommendations are given to promote them in the school setting through parent involvement, cultural sensitivity, and small group learning. (SLD)